According to historical lore, the sanctuary was founded in the fourth century, though its first mention in written documents is the beginning of the 13th century, when its two simple churches served as a resting point for travelers in the region. Fast forward 800 years, and it’s a popular destination in its own right. One of the largest Marian sanctuaries in the Alpine curve, it attracts pilgrims devoted to its medieval statue of the Black Madonna as well as those who simply wish to revel in the magnificent setting.
The sanctuary is 6 miles from the town of Biella, the capital of the province of the same name in the Piedmont region. At an altitude of almost 4,000 feet, and ringed by mountains with even higher peaks, the sanctuary could easily serve as the backdrop for a remake of “The Sound of Music.’’
The property unfolds like a map, with three levels of grand courtyards leading one to the next. From the parking area, stone and metal gates open onto the first square bordered by multilevel porticos housing gift shops, a dozen restaurants and cafes, and the office for overnight guests to check into one of the 300-plus rooms.
At the far end of this commerce-oriented square, an enormous flight of steps leads to a curved atrium and the second courtyard. Flanked by two-story Baroque buildings, the square is home to the 16th-century Basilica Antica. Inside, a conserved ninth-century shrine — considered a church within the church — is where to find the Black Madonna. Covered with gold and precious stones, the Swiss pinewood statue was carved in the nearby Aosta Valley in the 13th century.
The third square, gained after another imposing flight of steps, is dominated by the Basilica Superiore, whose green and gold dome topped with an octagonal lantern adorns the landscape like a multitiered cake.
